


Elliot and the Queen of Hearts

by MadHatteress



Category: Original Work
Genre: Adventure, Eventual Schmoop, Eventual Smut, Fantasy, M/M, Original Fiction., Please don't eat me, Rating will go up, Romance, Work In Progress, first attempt
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-05-14
Updated: 2013-05-14
Packaged: 2017-12-11 20:22:40
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,229
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/802830
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MadHatteress/pseuds/MadHatteress
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>One moment, Elliot is talking to his best friend and everything is normal.  One moment, said best friend is telling him he's in love with Elliot. And Elliot...he can't face this,  cannot face what he's seen coming for years, and he runs. </p><p>One moment he's running across a busy street. And the next, he's tumbling down a rabbit hole after a bunny-eared girl who looks like his sister's double.</p><p>He has to find a way out of this strange world, that much he knows. What he doesn't know is that he will have to face his own demons...and discover himself along the way.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Elliot and the Queen of Hearts

~Part I~

Elliot plopped down lazily beside his best friend on the park bench. The other boy was still absorbed in the book in his hands, quite oblivious to his arrival, his hair hanging in his eyes as he read, a look of rapt concentration on his face. Elliot grinned and leaned towards him, blowing in his face. Aidan started, jumping and then returning Elliot's contagious grin. "Elliot! You scared the bejesus out of me! And where have you been? You know, it may be your birthday, but it's still very rude to be an hour late to our-" he cleared his throat, turning nearly as red as his hair, and he continued "Anyway, what kept you?"

At this, the redness in Aidan's cheeks and his nervous behavior, Elliot's eyebrows knit together in confusion. "Uh...just, hard to get away from Grace. She may be a genius with math and science, but her grammar and spelling are awful-you know her. Obsessively studying for her exams. She needed help, my eighteenth birthday or no. I'm sorry." His smile returned, and he swung an arm easily about his friend's shoulders as he usually did. "What are you reading? You seemed so into it." He had already decided to shrug off Aidan's strange behavior as just Aidan being his adorable, easily embarrassed self. He had no reason to be so nervous. He looked closer at Aidan, not registering that he was stammering out a reply. God, he looked so cute with that blush, and the sunlight in his eyes along with it made his eyes look even bluer-so much more beautiful than Elliot's own brown.

"I really love Alice in Wonderland...our favorite, remember...?"

Elliot nodded, grinning to himself. Aidan was so sweet. He could lose himself in those eyes. And didn't that thought make Elliot distinctly uncomfortable! He couldn't feel like that for his best friend. They were practically brothers! But he couldn't help his own blush as he watched Aidan talk, but, as he did sometimes, didn't really listen.

"Elliot? Elliot? Earth to Elliot? Did I mention I'm sleeping with your sister?"

Elliot snapped to, his eyes focusing on Aidan's face again. "Huh?"

"He lives! You've been staring at me with that 'Blue screen of death' look. Have I got something on my face? And I'm not really sleeping with your sister. I'm sleeping with your mom." Aidan chuckled, waggling his eyebrows and giving him a mocking smirk, earning a halfhearted shove from Elliot. The two boys dissolved into laughter, falling over each other and choking out insults between chuckles. Aidan recovered first, letting Elliot hang on him and giggle girlishly-and Aidan made a mental note to tease him for that later.

He sat up straighter and brushed his unruly red bangs from his eyes nervously. "By the way, I bought you ice cream, but it kinda melted." He frowned in his playful, teasing manner, "Because you took so bloody long," he added ruefully. Elliot was still laughing through this, and he sobered up enough to return with "Oh, thanks. It's the thought that counts~ Ha. And good, because Dad would kick your ass. As would I." He chuckled, grinning at Aidan, and added on "So what else did you want? I already had my party. I really love the scrapbook you made, no matter how girly~ It's amazing. I think it's the best present I've ever gotten." He flushed and tugged at the strings of his hoodie in embarrassment.

Aidan blushed harder, smiling beautifully at the praise and Elliot's adorable blush, and the bright sparkle in his eyes. "Oh, that. Elliot...You're more than welcome. I'm so glad you like it. I spent ages working on it-made copies of tons of pictures...Anyway... Remember when we were kids and we'd come here after school and fish and get lost on the nature trail? And played on the old jungle gym? The picture I put in the scrapbook of you with a black eye-you fought Damien because he was making fun of me? And, well, you too, sorta...Because he said we were in love with each other?" His blue eyes found Elliot's brown ones and he swallowed hard. Elliot looked terrified, his eyes wide and face pale, sweat beading on his forehead.

"Y-yeah?" He choked out, his heart fluttering in his chest. He was extremely nervous and uncomfortable in his own skin, and he shifted away from Aidan.

"Elliot...We've been friends for so long...and you make me laugh so hard. You were my only friend for so long and you've always stood up for me, even when it causes you to get the ever-loving shit beat out of you. You're one of the most important people in my life, we get along so well...Elliot...I love you. I'm in love with you." Aidan finished softly.

Elliot seemed frozen and blank for a mome before he got to his feet. Aidan's eyes followed him and he chewed at the inside of his cheek while his heart pounded against his rib cage with anticipation, and now apprehension and fear...He'd been almost certain that Elliot felt the same-he'd never shown interest in girls and he had other friends, but no one as close as Aidan...There was the sound of running footsteps on gravel, and dust stirred up as Elliot took off running. It took Aidan a minute to figure out what had just happened, and once it did, he sluggishly pulled himself to his feet, intending to go after Elliot. He was not a fast runner, Elliot, but Aidan was. But his minutes of frozen hurt and his slow return to himself had given Elliot a head start, and his vision was suddenly blurry with tears. "Elliot! Come back! I'm sorry!" He called, panting and letting out a sob as he realized he'd disappeared. He ran, spotting a blur of Elliot's blue hoodie and dark curls, heading into the road. "ELLIOT!" He screamed, and the world slowed down.

Elliot wasn't thinking, just running and crying as he tried not to process anything. He ran and ignored his thoughts of Aidan, beautiful, fun, sweet Aidan, his eyes tearing up as he confessed his love. He heard his voice from a distance, but he couldn't bring himself to turn around. "ELLIOT!" He didn't know that Aidan could yell that loudly...He crossed the street that would take him home, his mind blank, far and away from the present moment. He didn't see the truck before it hit, nor did he hear Aidan's wordless scream, or the shout of the shocked driver.

Beeping.

Ticking clocks.

Bright light.

"Ohh, I'm so late! So very very late!" Came a voice as if from a great distance.

It was warm here. He felt heavy and his head hurt, but it was somehow far away from his mind. The voice was familiar...

"OH! I shall be so late! Oh, which way do I go? Oh, so, so late!"

Elliot opened his eyes. "Unng...?" He sat up, rubbing at his eyes. Mm...Where was he? He looked about groggily, his thoughts sluggish as if after a long nap, and realized he was on oddly colored grass and flowers. "This isn't right..." Then he saw a streak of black and white, and a running figure paused, pulling out a pocket watch. His brain seemed to pick up as he recognized the face.

"Grace! Hey! Grace!" He called, getting to his feet. The girl looked at him in alarm, pale blonde eyebrows shooting up as she blinked up from her watch. She didn't seem to recognize him.

"Grace? I'd say not. What were you doing on the ground? Oh, never mind, I'm so very late! The Queen will not be happy, not at all, no. Why I had to be called out to Chessboard Flats today of all days! Oh, I am so late!" She turned to go, and Elliot grabbed her arm.

"Wait! Late to what? And...you are Grace! You..." He stopped, taking in her familiar long, light blonde hair, the brown eyes that they shared, and..."Rabbit...?" For atop her head were two white, fluffy rabbit ears, twitching this way and that, and her nose suddenly struck him as the cute button nose reminiscent of a rabbit's.

"It isn't polite to stare, and yes! I am the White Rabbit, and I am VERY late for the Queen's birthday tea! Now if you would kindly release my arm!" She tugged her arm free of his grip. She started her springy run again, a decidedly hurried, annoyed look on her so familiar face. Elliot swore under his breath and ran after her-but of course it was his sister! Wasn't it? She had those same eyes. And he would know her anywhere! He ran, panting and breathless, following her down a tunnel...A human-sized rabbit hole.

The fall felt as though it lasted hours. Like he was falling through time and space itself. The tunnel was dark, but he heard the faint ticking of countless clocks. Closing doors. He grunted as what seemed to be an alarm clock hit him in the head as it fell up. Wait. Fell /up/? That was impossible...But so was his sister having fluffy white bunny ears...

When he landed, it came suddenly and knocked him breathless. He opened his eyes, not quite sure of when they had closed. He groaned indignantly and got up swiftly. He yawned and stretched, vaguely wondering if he had fallen asleep during the descent. He took in his surroundings. It was broad daylight and cloudless, like any good day. But it was vastly unfamiliar. He seemed to have emerged from a dense forest, and in front of him was an elaborate kind of entrance made of an odd shrubbery. "So strange..." He muttered, pressing his hand to feel it. Instead, he was sucked in. It was dark inside, and took a moment for his eyes to adjust. He then realized that he'd found Grace...Or rather, the White Rabbit.

"Oh dear...Not again! This confounded maze! Oh, would you please, please just let me through! I'm on official business from the Queen of Hearts! This is not fair!" She seemed to be arguing with a hedge. She turned left, then, as a path opened up for her. Curious and glad to have found her, Elliot followed.

"Grace! Grace! Er...Miss Rabbit?" He called, and she rounded on him, a deep frown-ah, so they had the same personality!-turning down her mouth. "Why are you following me? I'm very late and I'll be punished-I don't have time for stalkers." She said shortly and turned back, muttering directions and nonsense under her breath. She seemed adamant to ignore him-again, just like Gracie!-but she clearly didn't know him. He frowned, feeling a sudden pang of loss. He missed his sister. He would have to find a way home. Somehow. Maybe this Queen would know?

"Because...you look familiar...Are you...You're on your way to the Queen, right? I have business with her, so can I come with you?" She froze and looked back at him. "Business? Her? The Queen...is a him. Everyone knows that! Who are you? What do you want?" She strode back to him, scrutinizing him suspiciously. She raised an eyebrow imperiously, a look Elliot knew all too well. Then it fell and her mouth fell open. "My...You look...Who are you?" Her tone was gentler this time, and she shrugged a bit, seeming to deflate. He noticed her dark suit and tie for the first time and almost grinned at how much it suited her, and he thought of buying his Grace one when he got home. She had to be worried...His family...Aidan...his heart gave a pang and he cleared his throat past the sudden lump.

"Ah...My name is Elliot...I don't know where I am or what I'm doing, but I need to see the Queen. I'm hoping she-or, uh-he will know how to get me home." He said honestly, his throat still constricted with his worry and longing for home. The Rabbit sized him up and sighed, still frowning at him. But he had seen her start as she looked him in the eyes, a spark of recognition...Maybe he imagined it...

"You're in the Heartland, just outside of the Chessboard Flats and Forest of Clubs, Wonderland. Alright. You can come. But don't slow me down. I'm late enough as it is. Stay with me, and I'll take you to the Queen. I will warn you...You seem fairly innocent and harmless...The Queen is very harsh and hard to please. You...you look remarkably...No, no...Mmm...Kind eyes..." She straightened and gave him a hint of a smile. "Be careful around him, Mr. Elliot."

"Oh...Thanks so much! And, just Elliot. If you wanna be formal, it's Elliot Kingsley." He grinned for the first time, and had to fight off the urge to hug the Rabbit. Not that he would have had a chance, as she hopped forward along the narrow, dark path. He had to jog to keep up. Wherever he was, he would have to stick close to Rabbit, fidgety and flighty as she was. She really was just like Grace. He smiled to himself and fell into step beside her.

**Author's Note:**

> One moment to bore you all with a few words.  
> This is a work that is a long time coming. I have been sitting on it for months and here we are. I hope it's enjoyable, and I ask that you are kind to me.  
> This is a Journey to the Center of the Mind story, and it will not always make sense. If you have any questions, feel free to message me.


End file.
